CHAPTER 33

By eleven clouds were rolling across the sky obscuring much of the moon's brightness. Not that there was much anyway with only a quarter moon. They stood in the shadows outside the station car park entrance looking at the remaining cars. Dexter carried his bag and Cap still made Tolly carry theirs. Down the end stood a black Standard 10 partially hidden by a tall tree. Leaves blown off by Friday’s wind sat on the roof.

  “That one there,” said Dexter, “look at the leaves, it’s not moved since at least Friday, The owner’s probably away. Hopefully until at least after tomorrow. Black and that’s a numerous model so it won’t turn heads… Come on and keep to the shadows.” 

Moving in line in the darkness tight up against the car park wall they crept to the end where Cap and Tolly ducked down behind the car.  

“Two minutes or so,” whispered Dexter as he put down his case. Pulling the hot wires from his pocket he tested the door handles. The car was locked. It should have taken less than a minute to work the driver’s door lock but the pins were sticking probably due to weathering by the elements. However, after two minutes of jigging the door opened. He wiped down the door lock and put on his black leather gloves. Connecting the hot wires took no time and within another minute the engine started.  

“Well done,” said Cap, getting into the front passenger seat tightening up his gloves, “From now on we wear gloves.” 

Dexter said, “We’re in luck, half a tank of juice. That should be enough.” 

Tolly threw the two cases on the back seat and got in. Dexter let the revs drop and pushed it into first and slowly moved towards the car park exit. Hitting the road he accelerated, going through the gears, being helped by the synchromesh on second and third. 

“Where to,” Dexter said, suddenly realising he did not know where they were going. 

Cap said, “You’ve been there, Tolly, you tell him.” 

“Get on the Eastbourne Road but before you get there, we take a right. I’ll tell you when. Then we just head out into the country for about five miles. There’s a couple more turns but I’ll point them out.” 

Arriving just over thirty minutes later, Tolly said, “I’ve already identified the best place to park. Look, there’s… the Manor House. Go straight past. See the tall hedges down there a way, with all those trees, pull in there it’s out of the way… That’s it, tuck it right in there. See, we’re hardly visible from the road.” 

“Time is eleven-forty. We’ll give it thirty minutes then we’re off.” Cap said. 

“Bit early, isn’t it Cap? Normally we go at about one,” said Tolly. 

“Out here there’s no problem. Who’s going to see us? Thirty minutes then we go.” 

Cap swung the door open and stepped onto loose leaves that crackled with his steps. The leaves and some small, crunching twigs blown down by last week’s wind. He stopped and kicked them away. “Mind the leaves, they crackle a bit too loudly… Pass me the bag,” he said to Tolly. Took a hold of the handles and pulled the zip. Rummaged inside and came out with the black polo necks and baggy trousers. Threw Tolly a set saying, “Put those on so we’re ready. How about you, Dexter? You going in that smart suit?” Looked towards the driver’s seat and saw the door wide open. 

Dexter had the back door slung back. Cap heard the click of catches then Dexter said, “Will these do? My night shift outfit.” Holding up the set of navy overalls. 

“Perfect,” Cap looked up at the sky, “Winds getting up. See the clouds thickening. Rain’s on the way.” 

“Dark, though,” said Tolly. His legs swung out the back door as he took the clothes from Cap. He stood up and began taking off his suit. Through the grey outline of the trees and bushes the profile of the Manor was just visible. “We can work our way through the trees here and head up to this side of the house.” His voice muffled a bit as the polo slipped over his face then picked up as it snugged around his neck. “See the big gate? You can just make it out. Through that is the courtyard. That’s the route in. This is where we are closest. It’s also quite a way from the gate house where the gardener lives.” 

Tolley removed a small crowbar, glass cutter, suction cap and the three torches from the bag. Handed a torch to Cap and Dexter. Fished around some more and handed Cap the stethoscope. Dexter squatted so he could look through the base of the trees and scanned the gardens to the left gauging distances. Looking up at Cap through a slight frown, he said, “If we go left through the trees for about fifty yards the boundary swings in quite a way. We’d get maybe halfway before we would be going over open ground.” 

Cap put his hand on Dexter’s shoulder, gave a slight pat, “Good spot, Dexter… That’s the way then. Come on. No point waiting any longer.” Cap gripped the fabric of Dexter’s overalls and helped him up then moved off almost silently through the trees. Tolly and Dexter followed. Cap picking the route almost subconsciously stepping where noise would be least. Five years of fighting and habits were hard to lose. Automatically Tolly and Dexter followed literally in his footsteps. Reaching the edge of the trees nearest to the house he crouched. Scanned the whole area. Nothing. All three of them crouch sprinted across the short stretch of lawn to stand against the courtyard wall in the deepest shadows. 

A hand signal from Cap and they shifted through the courtyard gate. Now Tolly was leading, ending up under the window to Mary Crimp’s office. Tolly pointed to Cap’s torch and, turning it on, Cap directed it close to the window. Tolly placed the suction cup against the glass just below the sash lock on the centre rail. After scribing around the cup he gently tapped the glass along the mark, wiggled the cup and lifted off a small round circle of glass. Slipped in his hand, unlocked the catch and started to slide up the bottom sash. It stuck. He glanced at Cap who indicated an upward jerk with his hand. Tolly wobbled the sash finding a point when it did not bind then gently knocked it up until it was fully open. 

Slipping snake like over the sill he rolled onto the floor ending up near the desk. Flicked his torch’s switch. Quickly to the key rack and selected the back door key. One lock and two bolts and the door opened. Tolly led Cap and Dexter along the short corridor through the servant’s old baize door into the entrance hall. Pointed to the door to the study. So far they had not spoken since they left the car. Dexter tried the handle and mouthed locked. Removed his lock pick from his overall pocket and a minute later the door opened. Cap looked at Tolly and smiled. 

Dexter let the others go first then shut the door after him. Shone his torch around the room then moved to the window and drew the curtains. Cap turned on the light. They stood looking around the study. There was no sign of the safe. Tolly whispered, “Look at this. This is some space for sure.” Dexter glanced around and took in the whole scene. The squareness of the room. Wide enough for any decent sitting room. Two sofas each side of a tall stone fireplace. Bookcases along one wall. High ceilings. Tall, wide mirror over the fireplace positioned to reflect light from the window opposite. And then the desk. Huge with a padded leather chair facing the room with its back to the window. Phone, a pile of papers and a capstan inkwell sat on the green leather inlay. 

Tolly said, “Where would the safe be?” 

“Maybe behind one of these pictures.” Dexter said. Moving around the wall he lifted the few pictures and shook his head. 

Cap moved over to the bookcases. Three of them. The shelves all crammed. One smaller in the middle. He pulled out a few books. Felt along the shelves. Moving along the whole line of shelves he ran his fingers underneath. Stopped at the end of the lower shelf on the centre unit, “There’s a button here.” he said and pressed it. The centre section of the smaller bookcase swung back to reveal the safe. Small. Maybe three feet high by two feet. 

“Looks like a combination lock,” he said, “You want a go at it, Dexter,” and he handed him the stethoscope.” 

“What was that?” said Tolly, suddenly turning and staring at the door. “Did you hear that?” 

“What,” said Dexter. 

“I heard a knock, like something being bumped into.” 

“I’ll go and have a look,” said Cap, “Dexter get on and see if you can crack that safe.” Then moved to the door, slowly opened it and disappeared into the hall. Pulled the door shut after him, stopping the light following him into the hall. 

Dexter put the stethoscope near the lock and turned it clockwise a few times then turned it back to Zero. Turned the dial slowly clockwise and stopped. Spun it clockwise a few times and back to zero. Repeated a few times then turned it anticlockwise and stopped. Moved the dial opposite the point he had stopped. “I think there are four wheels,” he said. 

“All that,” said Tolley, “and all you say is four wheels. What good’s that?” 

“There’ll be four numbers to find. A four number combination. A wheel a number. We need that. You can’t find a combination without knowing its length, Can you? I think I’ve parked the wheels.” 

“You think. Is that good enough? Time’s getting on, isn’t it? So far we haven’t woken anyone up. We need to get a move on. We should’ve brought the explosives and blown the bastard out the window.” 

Cap returned and shutting the door looked at the two enquiring faces, “Couldn’t see anything. The back door might have banged though.” 

Dexter returned to look at the safe. “This can’t be rushed,” he said to Tolly, “It’s a game of patience. There are four numbers to find.” 

“Bollocks to that. Just get it done before anyone wakes up,” said Tolly gesticulating with his hands and looking at the door. “I did hear something,” 

“Okay,” Dexter snapped and chucked the stethoscope at Tolly, “Tell you what if you think you can do it any quicker, get on with it. I told you before, combination locks are not my thing. I can do ‘em but it takes a time and I need a pencil and paper…” 

“Enough of this… Tolly shut up, Dexter’s got halfway there. He’s found the length of the combination… Give me that thing and I’ll sort it out. And Tolly no more. Dexter’s right it takes time.” 

“We should have brought the explosives,” Dexter grumbled but did not say another word. 

Cap placed the stethoscope and moved the dial slowly backwards and forwards. Dexter watched and was thinking that Cap would never do it but at the same time Cap stood back and pulled the safe door open. “Easy,” he announced. 

Tolly said, “How many years have we been doing this? And that’s only the second time I’ve seen you do that.” 

Dexter did not say anything but thought, That seemed way too easy to me but what the hell he’s done it. 

They all stared into the safe and saw three small leather pouches sitting on the centre shelf. 

“Is that all there is?” said Tolly, “I thought you said there was a fortune, Cap. Three small pouches do not look so much, does it?” 

“Don’t be dumb,” replied Cap, “You know what they are, don’t you?” and he picked up a pouch and opened it. Sprinkled part of the contents into the palm of his hand. “These are flawless cut diamonds ready for the market. They’re worth a whole heap of money.” 

“And just how do you know that?” 

“Information received.” replied Cap smiling at Tolly with a look that Tolly had seen too many times lately. 

“I suppose that falls into that best kept to yourself category,” he muttered. 

“You’ve got it… Now, let’s get out of here… Back the way we came, Tolly?” Cap grabbed the three pouches and put them in his trouser pocket. As they went through the study door he switched off the light. 

“That’s it, out the back door,” Tolly said. 

Creeping across the courtyard they moved through the gate and started sprinting across the lawn. Just inside the courtyard a shadow emerged from the depths of the recess to the garage doors. It crossed the courtyard and went through the open back door all the way down the short corridor, across the entrance hall and into the study. Stood in front of the safe then reached inside and felt along all the shelves. If the man’s face could be seen it would have been displaying a real wide smile.